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Science News Archive May 2023 - Page 16


Page 16 of 40

An X-ray look at the heart of powerful quasars

A team of astronomers has observed the most luminous quasar in 9 billion years, shedding light on its interaction with its environment. The study found that the quasar's black hole is growing at a rate of 100 solar masses per year and emitting powerful winds into the host galaxy.

SourceRoyal Astronomical Society·JournalMonthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society·DateMay 19, 2023
Apple iPhone 17 Pro

Apple iPhone 17 Pro delivers top performance and advanced cameras for field documentation, data collection, and secure research communications.

Drug significantly reduces chorea symptoms in patients with Huntington’s disease

A recent study published in The Lancet Neurology found that valbenazine significantly reduces chorea symptoms in patients with Huntington’s disease. The Phase III trial showed improvement as early as the second week of treatment, with consistently greater benefits compared to a placebo.

SourceUniversity of Texas Health Science Center at Houston·JournalThe Lancet Neurology·DateMay 19, 2023

How good is the data for tracking countries' agricultural greenhouse gas emissions?

A recent study analyzes national greenhouse gas emission inventories, revealing limited accuracy and transparency in low-and-middle-income countries. The review highlights the need for improved reporting methodologies to manage food security and climate change adaptation and mitigation.

SourceThe Alliance of Bioversity International and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture·JournalFrontiers in Sustainable Food Systems·DateMay 19, 2023

Research finds fathers’ leave reduces sexist attitudes

A new study from Washington University in St. Louis found that extending fathers' leave in Estonia significantly reduced sexist attitudes, particularly among parents directly impacted by the policy. The research showed a notable shift in gender-equal views, with both fathers and mothers experiencing positive changes.

SourceWashington University in St. Louis·JournalAmerican Political Science Review·TypeSurvey·DateMay 18, 2023
Kestrel 3000 Pocket Weather Meter

Kestrel 3000 Pocket Weather Meter measures wind, temperature, and humidity in real time for site assessments, aviation checks, and safety briefings.

Novel percutaneous ventricular assist device feasibile in patients undergoing high-risk percutaneous coronary interventions (HRPCI)

A novel low-profile pVAD system demonstrated 100% procedural success and no device-related adverse events in a first-in-human trial. The device supports cardiovascular hemodynamics with minimal hemolysis and low risk of vascular complications, aiming to minimize morbidity and improve patient outcomes

SourceSociety for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions·DateMay 18, 2023

Why do Japanese teachers seem unready to teach critical thinking in classrooms?

A study in Japan found that teachers shied away from implementing critical thinking (CT) but were comfortable with multidimensional-multiperspective thinking (MMT), which is promoted in the national curriculum. Teachers felt that CT required teaching empathy, a core value in Japanese education.

SourceChiba University·JournalEducational Philosophy and Theory·TypeSurvey·DateMay 18, 2023
Davis Instruments Vantage Pro2 Weather Station

Davis Instruments Vantage Pro2 Weather Station offers research-grade local weather data for networked stations, campuses, and community observatories.

Low-cost, waterproof sensors may create new health-monitoring possibilities

Researchers developed an affordable, stretchable, and waterproof sensor using graphite material from pencils to monitor gas molecules, temperature, and electrical physiological signals. The device has the potential for public health applications, including collecting data on population health variation between geographic locations.

SourcePenn State·JournalChemical Engineering Journal·TypeExperimental study·DateMay 18, 2023

Some climate-smart agricultural practices may not be so smart

A recent study reveals that certain climate-smart agricultural practices can lead to land use spillovers that cancel out their climate benefits. Cover cropping with rye is found to cause yield losses and negate most of its climate advantages.

SourceStanford Woods Institute for the Environment·JournalNature Sustainability·DateMay 18, 2023

Unmanaged global forests have limited carbon sequestration potential

Existing global forests could store an additional 44.1 petagrams of carbon if left unmanaged, but this would only offset 4 years of CO2 emissions under current rates. The study's findings highlight the limited carbon sequestration potential of unmanaged global forests.

SourceAmerican Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)·JournalScience·DateMay 18, 2023

Perfect ‘pathogen’ storm: Vibrio bacteria, Sargassum and plastic marine debris

Researchers discovered Vibrio pathogens can stick to microplastics, adapting to plastic, and have aggressive behavior, forming biofilms and causing infections. The study highlights the risks of Sargassum-plastic marine debris interactions, with potential for opportunistic pathogens and disease transmission.

SourceFlorida Atlantic University·JournalWater Research·TypeExperimental study·DateMay 18, 2023

Research revealed the advantages of digital technologies for business processes

Researchers at Kaunas University of Technology identified four affordances of digital technologies facilitating business process integration: accessing, updating, sharing, and initiating. These mechanisms enable automation of information transfer, minimizing effort in business processes.

SourceKaunas University of Technology·JournalJournal of Systems and Information Technology·DateMay 18, 2023
AmScope B120C-5M Compound Microscope

AmScope B120C-5M Compound Microscope supports teaching labs and QA checks with LED illumination, mechanical stage, and included 5MP camera.

Investing in safe surgery could cut costs and save lives in LMICs

A new study reveals that Surgical Site Infection (SSI) is a major financial burden on health services in LMICs, with patients experiencing higher costs for postoperative care. Investing in health technologies to reduce SSI could help improve healthcare quality and save lives.

SourceUniversity of Birmingham·JournalJournal of Hospital Infection·TypeRandomized controlled/clinical trial·DateMay 18, 2023

UCLA study shows accuracy of genetically based disease predictions varies from individual-to-individual

A new UCLA study found that the accuracy of genetically-based disease predictions using polygenic scores (PGSs) varies significantly between individuals, even within traditionally considered homogeneous populations. PGS performance declines as genetic distance increases, and individual ancestry plays a crucial role in determining accur...

SourceUniversity of California - Los Angeles Health Sciences·JournalNature·TypeExperimental study·DateMay 18, 2023

Teachers cooperation: team-knowledge distillation for multiple cross-domain few-shot learning

A research team proposes a new method to improve AI's ability to learn from limited data, called 'team-knowledge distillation networks'. This approach enables teachers to cooperate and share knowledge, leading to better generalization on unseen tasks. The proposed method addresses the challenge of cross-domain few-shot learning.

SourceHigher Education Press·JournalFrontiers of Computer Science·TypeExperimental study·DateMay 18, 2023

Perfection: The Enemy of Evolution

Researchers discover allowing imperfection in design can create wider range of 'good enough' solutions, enabling more innovative designs. The study uses simple examples, such as walkways and bird flapping motion, to show that even small tolerances for imperfection open up significant design space.

SourceDuke University·JournalBiosystems·TypeObservational study·DateMay 18, 2023
CalDigit TS4 Thunderbolt 4 Dock

CalDigit TS4 Thunderbolt 4 Dock simplifies serious desks with 18 ports for high-speed storage, monitors, and instruments across Mac and PC setups.

Amputees feel warmth in their missing hand

Researchers at EPFL have developed a technology that allows amputees to feel temperature variations in their phantom limbs, enabling them to discern what they're touching. This breakthrough has led to the development of bionic prosthetics that can provide realistic touch and sensations.

SourceEcole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne·JournalScience·TypeExperimental study·DateMay 18, 2023

In years after El Niño, global economy loses trillions

A recent study by Dartmouth researchers finds that global economic losses from El Niño can persist for several years after the event, with a significant impact on the world's poorest nations. The study projects total losses of $84 trillion for the 21st century, highlighting the need for climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies.

SourceDartmouth College·JournalScience·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateMay 18, 2023

Climate change to push species over abrupt tipping points

A new study predicts that climate change will expose species to potentially dangerous temperatures, leading to an abrupt loss of habitat. The research found that up to 30% of species will be at risk of experiencing unfamiliarly hot temperatures across at least 30% of their geographic range in a single decade.

SourceUniversity College London·JournalNature Ecology & Evolution·DateMay 18, 2023

How cells select DNA damage repair pathways

Researchers discovered that MSH2-MSH3 plays a crucial role in selecting the right DNA repair process by interacting with other proteins during DSB repair. This interaction facilitates error-free homologous recombination and blocks error-prone polymerase theta-mediated end-joining.

SourceInstitute for Basic Science·JournalNucleic Acids Research·TypeExperimental study·DateMay 18, 2023
Creality K1 Max 3D Printer

Creality K1 Max 3D Printer rapidly prototypes brackets, adapters, and fixtures for instruments and classroom demonstrations at large build volume.

Study: Wildfire spread risk increases where trees, shrubs replace grasses

A new study led by University of Florida forest management researcher Victoria Donovan found that as woody plants like shrubs and trees replace herbaceous plants like grasses, spot fires can occur farther away from the original fire perimeter. This 'woody encroachment' increases the risk of structural damage and firefighter safety.

SourceUniversity of Florida·JournalPLOS ONE·DateMay 18, 2023

Half of world's largest lakes losing water

A new assessment by University of Colorado at Boulder researchers reveals that over 50% of the world's largest lakes are losing water. The study found that climate change and unsustainable human consumption are major contributors to this decline, with many lakes in dry and wet regions experiencing significant losses.

SourceUniversity of Colorado at Boulder·JournalScience·TypeImaging analysis·DateMay 18, 2023

If the Higgs can reach the Hidden Valley, we will see new physics already in next-generation accelerators

Researchers at the Polish Academy of Sciences propose that Higgs boson decays into exotic particles may be detectable in future lepton accelerators like CLIC and FCC. The detection would rely on observing jets of particles produced by quark-antiquark pairs, with characteristic shifts from the axis of the colliding beams.

SourceThe Henryk Niewodniczanski Institute of Nuclear Physics Polish Academy of Sciences·JournalJournal of High Energy Physics·DateMay 18, 2023
Apple iPad Pro 11-inch (M4)

Apple iPad Pro 11-inch (M4) runs demanding GIS, imaging, and annotation workflows on the go for surveys, briefings, and lab notebooks.

Rising rates of induced labor need to be reconsidered in the context of the UK maternity services staffing crisis, study suggests

A new study suggests that increasing induced labor rates in UK maternity services without considering staffing workloads and patient care may have unintended consequences. The study highlights gaps in knowledge on home-based IOL services, with workload perceived to be increased in some cases.

SourceCity St George’s, University of London·JournalPLOS ONE·TypeSurvey·DateMay 18, 2023

UH researchers develop sensors that operate at high temperatures and in extreme environments

University of Houston researchers create sensitive and reliable sensors for harsh conditions, operating up to 900 degrees Celsius. The sensors, made from flexible ultrawide-bandgap single-crystalline AlN thin films, offer advantages for applications in nuclear plants, neutron exposure, and wearable health care monitoring.

SourceUniversity of Houston·JournalAdvanced Functional Materials·DateMay 18, 2023

In schools, masks and air cleaners were associated with stopping COVID-19

A new study shows that masking and portable air cleaners significantly reduced the spread of SARS-CoV-2 in two Swiss schools during the Omicron wave. The researchers detected salivary and airborne virus concentrations in air samples and students, with a 70% decrease in viral transmission under mask mandates.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS Medicine·TypeObservational study·DateMay 18, 2023

Delivering on the promise of personalized breast cancer therapy

A Baylor team created a molecular classifier test to identify patients with HER2-positive breast cancer who may benefit from anti-HER2 therapy alone without chemotherapy. The test accurately predicts the most likely response of a tumor to specific treatment regimens, allowing for personalized de-escalation approaches.

SourceBaylor College of Medicine·JournalClinical Cancer Research·TypeRandomized controlled/clinical trial·DateMay 18, 2023
Sony Alpha a7 IV (Body Only)

Sony Alpha a7 IV (Body Only) delivers reliable low-light performance and rugged build for astrophotography, lab documentation, and field expeditions.

Novel virtual coronary roadmap tool reduces volume of iodinated contrast needed during percutaneous coronary interventions

A new virtual coronary roadmap tool has been shown to reduce the volume of iodinated contrast needed during percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI). The Dynamic Coronary Roadmap (DCR) effectively decreases contrast usage by 28.8%, potentially lowering the risk of contrast-induced nephropathy.

SourceSociety for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions·DateMay 18, 2023

Boosting solar cell energy capture efficiency with a fullerene-derivative interlayer

Researchers introduced a conductive fullerene-derivative interlayer to enhance electron transport and increase PCE in all-inorganic perovskite solar cells, improving thermal stability. The interlayer remedies morphology issues, energy level mismatches, and electron traps, resulting in increased efficiency and reduced defects.

SourceTsinghua University Press·JournalNano Research Energy·DateMay 18, 2023

Genetic study explores the microbiome of hip and knee osteoarthritis

Researchers found bacterial DNA in surgical specimens of patients with hip and knee arthritis, revealing a microbiome in previously assumed sterile sites. The most common bacteria were Escherichia, Cutibacterium, Staphylococcus, Acinetobacter, and Pseudomonas.

SourceWolters Kluwer Health·JournalJournal of Bone and Joint Surgery·DateMay 18, 2023
Nikon Monarch 5 8x42 Binoculars

Nikon Monarch 5 8x42 Binoculars deliver bright, sharp views for wildlife surveys, eclipse chases, and quick star-field scans at dark sites.

Call for Canada, US to braid Indigenous rights, endangered species laws

Researchers say current recovery targets do not support culturally vital harvests, calling for a shift to meaningful abundance and distribution of plants and animals. A collaboration between Indigenous leaders and Canadian scientists aims to preserve traditional ways of life and restore nature.

SourceUniversity of British Columbia Okanagan campus·JournalScience·TypeCommentary/editorial·DateMay 18, 2023

40 Hz vibrations reduce Alzheimer’s pathology, symptoms in mouse models

A new study by MIT scientists shows that 40 Hz vibration can reduce levels of the hallmark Alzheimer's protein phosphorylated tau, preserve neurons, and improve motor function in mouse models. This research demonstrates a third sensory modality to increase gamma power in the brain, offering new hope for Alzheimer's treatment.

SourcePicower Institute at MIT·JournalFrontiers in Aging Neuroscience·DateMay 18, 2023

Alaska scientists find novel way to aid earthquake magnitude determination

Researchers found that infrasound sensors can improve magnitude determinations, providing complete data about strong earthquakes. The low-cost sensors, which detect air pressure changes caused by ground movement, can also enhance tsunami warnings and emergency responses.

SourceUniversity of Alaska Fairbanks·JournalBulletin of the Seismological Society of America·DateMay 18, 2023
SAMSUNG T9 Portable SSD 2TB

SAMSUNG T9 Portable SSD 2TB transfers large imagery and model outputs quickly between field laptops, lab workstations, and secure archives.

Smart material prototype challenges Newton’s laws of motion

Researchers at the University of Missouri have developed a smart material prototype that can control the direction and intensity of energy waves. This breakthrough could have significant implications for various fields, including military and commercial applications.

SourceUniversity of Missouri-Columbia·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateMay 18, 2023

Engineering: The house that diapers built

Researchers found that disposable diaper waste can replace up to 8% of sand in concrete and mortar used to build a single-story house, reducing construction costs. The study suggests using this unconventional material for low-cost housing in low- and middle-income countries.

SourceScientific Reports·JournalScientific Reports·DateMay 18, 2023
Aranet4 Home CO2 Monitor

Aranet4 Home CO2 Monitor tracks ventilation quality in labs, classrooms, and conference rooms with long battery life and clear e-ink readouts.

To avoid a battery crisis, more of us should share small, lightweight EVs

Researchers suggest sharing smaller, lightweight EVs to manage resource use in EV batteries. They found that reducing material supply risks requires systemic approaches and investments in new battery technologies.

SourceNorwegian University of Science and Technology·JournalResources Conservation and Recycling·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateMay 18, 2023

Why Antarctic ice shelves are losing their mass and how it leads to global sea level rise

Researchers investigate the impact of oceanic warming on Antarctic ice shelves, highlighting the role of circumpolar deep water in causing melting and calving. The study emphasizes the need for improved understanding and modeling to predict future sea levels and their effects on coastal communities.

SourceOcean-Land-Atmosphere Research (OLAR)·JournalOcean-Land-Atmosphere Research·TypeLiterature review·DateMay 18, 2023
Fluke 87V Industrial Digital Multimeter

Fluke 87V Industrial Digital Multimeter is a trusted meter for precise measurements during instrument integration, repairs, and field diagnostics.

Biodiversity discovery: Unknown species ("dark taxa") drive insect diversity

A recent study reveals that 20 insect families globally account for 50% of flying insect diversity, with a large fraction of terrestrial animal biodiversity remaining unknown to science. The study used DNA barcodes to assign specimens to species and found that only a few dominant families dominate flying insect communities worldwide.

SourceMuseum für Naturkunde, Leibniz Institut für Evolutions-und Biodiversitätsforschung·JournalNature Ecology & Evolution·DateMay 18, 2023

New analysis shows improved body composition with tirzepatide is consistent across adult age groups with overweight or obesity

A new analysis of the SURMOUNT-1 study shows that tirzepatide improves body composition across a range of adult age groups, with significant reductions in fat mass. The treatment also results in a clinically meaningful improvement in body composition, with only one-quarter of weight lost being lean mass.

SourceEuropean Association for the Study of Obesity·DateMay 18, 2023